Fujairah Collage

Monday, May 31, 2010

Activity on Fujairah SkylineSeveral years ago Dubai’s growth was measured by the number of cranes. Despite talk of a financial recession there are still many cranes to be seen around Fujairah and hotels and apartment towers continue to rise.

This is all part of the vision of His Highness, the Ruler of Fujairah, to increase the number of hotel and apartment rooms to cater for the growth in tourism and the burgeoning Fujairah population.

ProgressA 5 star hotel and apartment being built by the Al Sharfa Company commenced in May 2009 and has been making steady progress with 250 people working on the site.

See the pictures illustrating the progress that had been made by October of last year (2009).

This project is due to be handed over to the client in March or April of 2011.

Facilities at CompletionWhen it is completed the 350 hotel rooms and 100 apartments will have some of the most stunning views one can get in the Emirates. The morning views of the sun rising over the Arabian Sea will be spectacular.

In addition to a spa, a swimming pool and other facilities typical of a modern hotel, this complex will have a beach within a breakwater and be within a quick walk of an ever-growing marina.

Being built on reclaimed land residents could easily throw a fishing line out their hotel windows and pull up fish for their breakfast. Alternatively they could take their boat out just a few metres where fishermen regularly pull good-sized fish out of the water.

Mariam studied Business Science at the Dubai Women’s College and later undertook art courses to hone up her design skills.

The Emirati designer started designing in September 2006 and was spurred on by the encouragement of her family and friends

Mariam launched Mimi Fashion Designs in the Brides Show in Sharjah in February 2007. Having had several years in the business Miriam says of Mimi Fashion Designs:“For me it’s just the start….There is no end to my inspiration and creativity. I am looking forward for my dream to come true to make Mimi’s Fashions Designs an international brand.”

Mimi Fashion Designs creates clothes for women from 17 years of age and the collections include garments for both the young and mature.

Mimi clothes are purchased by women in the UAE and the Gulf but they are designed to be worn by women of any nationality.

Mariam’s strategy focuses on a woman’s desire to feel special about the clothes she wears.

The Mimi signature: colours, cuts, patched materials with a mix of Kaftan and dress.

Question from Tel AvivWriting a web site on Fujairah and the UAE I get asked many questions. Here is the latest question that came over the weekend.

An Israeli man wrote to ask if he can get a tourist visa to visit the United Arab Emirates. It is difficult to get information on this question and sometimes there are conflicting answers.

Some College web sites and travel advisory services state that Israelis wanting to visit the Emirates are not allowed to enter the UAE but some Israelis have been given a visa.

Israelis Entering the UAEAn international uproar broke out in February 2009 when Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer was denied a visa to attend a tennis tournament in the UAE.

A few days later the decision looked as if it had been overturned when a male player from Israel was granted a visa to play in Dubai’s men’s competition. The Dubai organizers received a significant fine, a protesting TV network withdrew from giving coverage and the UAE was threatened with having the annual tournament taken from it.

In October 2009 Israeli representatives to an Abu Dhabi meeting of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) were granted access to the UAE.

New Restrictions in 2010Jewish people on passports issued by countries other than Israel (e.g. US passports) have in the past been eligible to get a UAE entry permit but since the death of a Hamas operative in February 2010, new restrictions have been issued by Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai’s police chief.

Now travellers suspected of being Israeli are not allowed to enter the UAE even if they arrive with a passport from a country other than Israel.

It is unclear whether Israeli sports people wishing to compete in UAE tournaments or trade representatives from Israel will be granted an entry visa to the UAE. One suspects that these might be treated on a case by case basis as ‘special circumstances’ and exceptions to the rule.

Verdict of UAE ImmigrationToday I called the Dubai Department of Naturalization and Residency and the same office in Sharjah to put the question from my Israeli correspondent.

Both Dubai and Sharjah spokespersons said that people holding Israeli passports will not be granted a tourist visa to visit the UAE.

When I asked the reason for this rule I was told that Israel is not a friend of the UAE and other Muslim countries.

Long Term ConsequencesThese visa denials express the unwillingness of the UAE to recognize the legitimacy of the state of Israel and, along with many other Muslim countries, they are a way of disciplining Israel for its treatment of Palestinians.

The UAE has the freedom to make its rules about who may enter its borders but this law is likely to have serious consequences.

The international outcry resulting from Shahar Peer’s visa denial is a signal of how other countries might use the ‘No Entry’ rule for Israelis to block bids by the UAE to hold international conferences and host major sporting competitions such as the Olympic Games.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

VideographerHere’s a description of the filmmaker:“George Jacob is a Dubai based film maker and founder of Moviemedia in Dubai. Core business is corporate videos, marketing videos, training films, induction films, safety films, television content generation, TV commercials etc. Having been in the Arabian Gulf for the last 29 years, he is well versed with the nuances and challenges of making films in the region. Moviemedia provides crewing and logistic support services to out-of-towners and they are more than happy because he goes the extra mile to meet the client’s requirements.”

Travel and Tourist Video for Fujairah

Geoff Pound

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Saturday, May 29, 2010

The figure of 130,000 is the one most commonly quoted as the population of Fujairah, UAE but this is well out of date.

This week in a Financial Times article Robin Wigglesworth discovers that local government officials are declaring the 2010 population of Fujairah as 165,000.

According to the same source, the population of Fujairah jumped by 10,000 in 2008 and another 10,000 in 2009, due mainly to some new projects (e.g. oil and gas pipelines) and the buoyancy of the local economy.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The REDAA label by designer Amal Murad was displayed to an appreciative audience on the opening night of the inaugural Fujairah Fashion Exhibition held at the Tennis and Country Club, 19-21 May 2010.Amal Murad founded REDAA Fashion in 2005 and entered the global brand of abayas in her first show in 2006. ‘Redaa’ is the Arabic word for decency in clothing and this concept provides the focus for the garments. The REDAA brand produces garments that maintain traditional elements presented with decency, elegance, creativity and style. Murad believes that an abaya must be practical and offer freedom to the wearer but she is eager to show that the traditional garment can be trendy, modern and stylish. As the REDAA garments combine traditional features and contemporary trends, Murad asserts that the abaya is not a garment to hide behind but, on the contrary, a means for expressing cultural values with contemporary flair. Orders for REDAA abayas come mainly from Gulf countries but also from France and the United Kingdom. The clientele includes women of all ages with a significant interest being shown by those from western cultures. While women’s abayas form the essence of the REDAA label, Murad is developing classical and sporty collections of men’s kandooras (dishdashas).FurtherAmal Murad Abayas at Fujairah Fashion Style 2010, Fujairah in Focus (Part 1)Dancers Star at Fujairah Fashion Launch, Fujairah in Focus.Fashion Show to Attract the Crème de la Crème of Fujairah, Fujairah in Focus.Fujairah’s First Fashion Exhibition, Fujairah in Focus.

Geoff Pound

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ImagesModels display the REDAA garments designed by Amal Murad to the Fujairah audience.

CreditThanks to Alan Nambiar for all photos displayed in this article.

AcknowledgementInformation in this article is drawn from the web pages of Amal Murad as well as from a host of interviews in the public sphere.

* As Fujairah is seeking to develop as a centre for art and culture, designer Amal Murad is keen to contribute to this development and she is constantly looking for ways to boost the fashion industry in the Emirates.

Inspiration* Amal acknowledges the formative influence of her artistic family in encouraging her to explore her talents.

* Her father’s flair as an artist opened Amal to the vital contribution of beauty to society. She continues to be inspired by the beauty in art, nature and her Emirati tradition.

* Her mother who has regularly sewn was Amal’s first inspiration and when as a young girl she used her mother’s off-cuts to design and make clothes for her dolls, her talent turned into art.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Young ballerinas from Fujairah’s Ballet Group had the honour of dancing at Fujairah’s inaugural Fashion Exhibition over the three days, 19-21 May 2010.

Style 2010 was held at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Sara Bint Hamad Al Sharqi.

This exhibition was a spring board to develop the fashion culture in Fujairah with the hope that it would become a regular fixture at which the latest fashion trends may be showcased.

The annual event will gradually pick up speed, recognition and sponsorship in an effort to attract top designers and buyers from the Emirates and the region.

The core of the programme was the fashion segments which featured the labels, Redda, JYK, MIMI Fashion, Babyshop, Banan Suliman, Shrekanth and Bisma Ahmed.

Other attractions included make up demos, raffles, skin care clinics presented by Areel and Kaya, speeches and a segment by a major sponsor, Le Méridien. The many activities over the three days required good comperes to keep the show on track. The Fujairah Tennis and Country Club created a festive atmosphere and set up the catwalk to enable members of the audience to get close to the action. Men as well as women enjoyed the activities and the fashion. The three day event gave plenty of scope for networking for people from Dubai as well as Fujairah’s crème de la crème.

Models came from all over the Emirates to show off the UAE style of 2010 and it was the homegrown troupe of Fujairah ballerinas that set the stage alight for the opening night.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Images: All photos taken by UAE photographer, Alan Nambiar who described himself in an article as “A professional but still on a photographic journey searching for ‘the elusive shot.’”

Numerous articles have mentioned that the UAE has the largest ecological footprint in the world which is one world record that it is not proud to own.

A new video explains the ‘ecological footprint’ and spells out the catastrophic damage that would occur if all citizens of the earth used power, consumed products and dealt with their waste in the manner of the Emirates.

The ad recognizes the responsibility of individuals and households and the potential they have in making practical choices in such things as what they buy and how they travel.

Thanks to the Emirates Wildlife Society for creating this ad in English to get the UAE talking. Hopefully it will soon come with soundtracks in Arabic, Urdu and Malayalam.

The project took 150 hours of set building, 300 newspapers and is comprised of 2,500 stills.

The production involved 50 hours of meeting in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and London in which time the creators consumed 400+ cups of coffee.

Watch the UAE Ecological Footprint

FurtherHow Happy are People in the UAE? ETE.Chill Out on Versace Hotel Refrigerated Beach in Dubai, ETE.Gulf States Asked for Petrodollars but Better if they also Give Green Energy Example, ETE.Fujairah’s New Recycling Facility Turns Oman’s Waste into Wealth but can it be done in the Emirates? ETE.Fujairah Women’s College Takes the Environmental Lead, FIF.UAE Must Improve Environmental Record to Win Olympic Games, ETE.UAE at the Environmental Crossroads, ETE.Masdar Model City is Environmental Extravagance, ETE.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Image: Animation of a petrol-guzzling Hummer against a UAE city skyline.

Fujairah is the region’s ‘bread basket’ for construction projects in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and it exports significant quantities of gabbro rock to Gulf countries and further afield. As rocks build Fujairah’s economy, some independent studies to assess the environmental damage and health risks would reassure residents that their wellbeing is not being sacrificed on the altar of progress.

Rocks Around the ClockBefore trucks were diverted from the main road between Fujairah and Dubai, motorists were constantly reminded of the scale of the quarry operation by the endless transportation of rocks from Fujairah’s mountains to the UAE’s major cities.

The construction of the ‘banana’ or ‘Banana Island’ with its rock port is further testimony to Fujairah’s growing export industry in mountain materials.

While this growth takes place there is no doubt that the companies overseeing the quarry operations in Fujairah are professional, efficient and attentive to issues of safety.

Environmental RisksWhile Fujairah has moved towards nature tourism led by the preservation activity at Wadi Wuruyah, the environmental risks are great with the exploding of mountains and the quarrying activities that provide the bedrock for the emirate’s economy. Rock extraction has the potential to endanger the Fujairah brand with its nature and heritage tourism. This can be, according to The National, the “sickly side of the quarrying boom.”

Balancing Economy and EnvironmentFrom time to time protests have been staged in the UAE about the encroachment of quarries near towns, the noise pollution from the blasting and the damage to properties through extreme movement.

The environmental impact of quarrying in the UAE was brought to a head in 2008 when the Federal National Council tabled a report which included specific recommendation to close quarries and crushers adjacent to housing communities and to address the dust and noise pollution from quarries and crushers.

Federal and Fujairah ActionFederal laws were passed in 2008 to control and safeguard the environment against inappropriate quarrying and a process was instigated to evaluate old quarries. Local teams, which included the Crown Prince of Fujairah, were seen making an inspection on behalf of the local administration.

By mid-2009 Fujairah leadership was cracking down on hazardous operations resulting in seven quarries being closed, the equivalent of 10% of the total number of quarries in the emirate of Fujairah.

Independent Evaluation NeededSince this time little detail has been made available about the thoroughness of the quarry evaluation, the way environmental damage by quarrying is assessed and the impact of the industry on the destruction of flora, fauna and areas of archaeological significance. These evaluations must be undertaken independent of those who have a stake in the economic benefits of the rock industries.

While citizens complain of sore eyes and throats and some doctors claim that Fujairah is a hazardous place to live for those with respiratory illnesses, it would be reassuring to all residents if regular independent studies were undertaken to assess the health risks caused by quarry dust and noise pollution.

Land ReclamationTheir first video looks at a huge operation in getting rocks from the Hajar Mountains that are being used to fill the largest cavity in the UAE—soon to be used for the ever-expanding oil business north of the Fujairah Port.

Rock ExportThis second video (below) focuses on the process of blasting, crushing, grading, stockpiling and exporting gabbro aggregate for Qatar, Bahrain and other neighbouring countries in the Gulf.

One gets some sensational views of the Fujairah Bulk Marine Terminal on the ‘Banana Island’ out from the Fujairah corniche.

The video tracks the growth of the Fujairah Bulk Shipping LLC from its establishment in 2006 to its 600+ work force in 2010.

This is a promotional movie but it gives insights into a major industry in Fujairah and offers views of areas where for reasons of safety the public would not be allowed to venture.

Geoff Pound

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Sunday, May 23, 2010

What about a sequel to the film ‘City of Life’—but shot in the mountains and on the sea of the United Arab Emirates by the same director, Ali F Mostafa?

Faisal (played by UAE TV personality, Saoud Al Ka’abi) is a ‘privileged Emirati’ who finds that the snares of Dubai’s power, beauty, wealth and ambition lure him away from his religion and traditions. His frustrated father (played by Habib Ghuloom) is saddened by the way his son has humiliated the family and he says in desperation, “Sometimes I feel you are a complete stranger to me.”

Towards the end of the film Faisal drives out of the city and, parking his car parallel to the mountains of the UAE, at the base of which is a mosque (pictured), the young Emirati enters into deep reflection.

Some viewers concluded that this, like several other scenes, was melodramatic. A synopsis says about the film: “‘City of Life’ reveals how unexpected tragedy and loss can lead to hope and profound transformation…”

Perhaps this scene is a turning point but viewers are left hanging and wondering whether genuine transformation does take place.

SequelAfter a film that centred on the city, this scene suggests a sequel set in the countryside, the desert and the coastland of the Emirates.

Leaving the shiny towers of Dubai Faisal goes on pilgrimage among the massive Hajar Mountains to recover his roots, learn his traditions and acquire a moral compass.

While one of the motifs of ‘City of Life’ is the Bollywood Café presenting lookalikes to people fixated on appearances, setting a new film among the mountains and along the coasts of the UAE gives ample opportunity to portray authentic Emirati culture.

The answer is not to stay in the mountains and escape the city but how young Emiratis can be upheld by their heritage in a rapidly changing country is a pressing question.

Geoff Pound

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